Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to surface treatment methods and devices treated thereby, useful especially in byproduct carbonaceous material formation environments.
Carbonaceous materials, such as coke and soot, are byproducts of many processes and are usually undesirable. For example, during hydrocarbon cracking processes, the build-up of carbonaceous materials (i.e. the byproduct coke) happens on inner surfaces of apparatus components, for instance, inner radiant tube surfaces of furnace equipment. When the inner radiant tube surfaces become gradually coated with a layer of coke, the radiant tube metal temperature (TMT) rises and the pressure drop through radiant coils increases. In addition, the coke build-up adversely affects the physical characteristics of the apparatus components, e.g., the radiant tubes, by deteriorating mechanical properties such as stress rupture, thermal fatigue, and ductility due to carburization.
Other byproduct carbonaceous material formation apparatuses and methods, e.g., apparatuses and methods for the steam reforming of methane and for carbonaceous fuel combustion, also have problems caused by the build-up of carbonaceous material.
A variety of methods have been considered in order to overcome the disadvantages of carbonaceous material build-up on apparatus components, such as furnace tube inner surfaces. These methods include: metallurgy upgrade to alloys with increased chromium content of the metal substrates used in the apparatuses; and adding additives such as sulfur, dimethyl sulfide (DMS), and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) or hydrogen sulfide to the feedstock to the apparatuses.
While some of the aforementioned methods have general use in various industries, it is desirable to provide new approaches to reduce or eliminate the build-up of carbonaceous material.